Star performs at launch night

A CHART-TOPPING singer songwriter is performing in Hartlepool later this month as a new weekly music night is launched.

The Jack2Jack open mic night will be held at Odd Bar, in Church Street, every Wednesday night, aimed at talented solo artists in the town.

Josh Kumra

But once a month a star headliner will head to Hartlepool to perform at the night and singer songwriters in the town will have the opportunity to be support acts.

The first headliner is Josh Kumra who co-wrote and provided vocals for the huge single, Don’t Go, which reached the peak of the official UK charts in 2011.

The new weekly night is organised by Jack2Jack Music, the brainchild of Jar Family member Al Devon, who has teamed up with Leon Pape, who lives in the town himself and runs musical promotions firm Grass Route, which has a number of nights in Middlesbrough.

Al, 35, who lives in the town centre area of Hartlepool, said: “The open mic night every week will give people the chance to perform, to put what they have got out there.

“It’s not just for young artists, it’s for solo acts who are looking for that stage to perform on and once a month there’s also a chance to support an established act which is an unbelievable opportunity.”

Al has met and become close friends with a number of artists while on the road with The Jar Family and is proud to be bringing some of those acts to perform in his home town.

Fresh from performances at Glastonbury, V Festival and on Jools Holland, Josh Kumra will be on stage at the launch night on Wednesday, September 18.

And Al is urging songwriters who want to support Josh on the night to get in touch as he puts the finishing touches to the launch.

Al added: “The open mic night and supporting the headline act isn’t about an established act.

“It’s perfect for a singer songwriter who is trying to get that recognition to be able to say they supported Josh Kumra or whoever is the headline act that night.”

Tickets for the launch night are £7 in advance or £8 on the door. The monthly nights when a headline act isn’t performing are free.